In Heart of Darkness, a novella, by Conrad, Marlow, the protagonists, welcomes the readers into his past by narrating his adventure to Africa. As the story begins, an anonymous passenger on Marlow’s ship gives the reader a brief understanding of the contemporary Marlow.
As a child, Marlow was zealous about maps and adventures. As a young man, Marlow hit the jackpot and got the chance to travel to a new undiscovered land for ivory. Before he left for his trip to Africa, he heard rumors about the great and humane man Kurtz. Marlow became engross by this remarkable man and was eager to meet him. The real story begins when a “civilized” man enters the heart of darkness which is known to break down Europeans mentally or physically. How will this new adventure change Marlow?

On the other hand Kurtz, the antagonist, is a powerful man who has great plans to find ivory and teach the “savages” of civilization. The problem is that he stayed in the heart of darkness far too long; therefore, making him the perfect exemplify of what one becomes if they stay in this new world way to long; he is now considered a madman.

I think Conrad wrote Heart of Darkness beautifully. He uses figurative language to his advantage to bring his story to life. For example, “…it was very simple, and at the end of that moving appeal to every altruistic sentiment, it blazed at you, luminous and terrifying, like a flash of lightning in a serene sky.” Although one have no idea what this sentences is part of, one can still infer that fire is near by, in an enormous amount. Conrad displayed the corruptibility of humankind while he brings the reader into the darkness and let them ponder on the absurdity of evil and imperialism.